Instant one-pot Indian meals

Believe cooking good food takes time? Not always. Try these quick recipes

Having a hectic day? Fret not! Metrolife puts together two recipes to try when you are not in the mood to slog in the kitchen.

Sambar Sadam

Ingredients

2 cups raw rice

1 cup pigeon peas

salt as per taste

1 tbsp tamarind paste

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tbsp ghee

1 onion, medium sliced

100 grams carrots chopped

100 grams pumpkin, chopped

70 grams tomato, chopped

1 tsp mustard seeds

2-3 red chillies

1/5 tsp Hing (Asafoetida)

30 curry leaves

For fresh sambhar masala

2 tbsp grated coconut

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp mustard seeds

2 tsp coriander seeds

1/2 tsp fenugreek

1 tsp split black gram

Method

Wash rice and dal separately till the water comes out clean. In a pressure cooker, add pigeon peas, rice with salt and 3.5 cups of water.

Cover with lid and allow it to cook for three to four whistles. (You can use an instant pot instead of a traditional cooker).

For sambar masala: In a pan, dry roast two tablespoons of coriander seeds, one teaspoon of cumin seeds, quarter teaspoon of fenugreek seeds, one teaspoon of skinned split black gram, and a few red chillies.

Roast them on slow heat for two minutes. Now, add grated coconut and roast for two more minutes and allow it to cool.

Cooking vegetables: First, in a heat a pan add one tablespoon of ghee, mustard seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves, cumin seeds and white gram.

Add chopped vegetables to the pan and sauté them for three to four minutes. Tip in salt, turmeric powder, red chilli, and freshly ground sambar masala.

Mix everything together and add 2 cups of water. Cover with a lid and cook for seven to eight minutes so that vegetables are cooked through. Add tamarind paste and mix.

Assemble sambar rice: Open the pressure cooker lid after releasing the pressure.

Mix in cooked vegetables with cooked lentils and rice in the pressure cooker.

Mix it gently and serve hot with a side of yogurt, papad and a pickle for a perfect comfort meal.

This additional step will enhance the taste. Heat one more tablespoon of ghee, in the pan add mustard seeds and curry leaves along with dried red chillies.

Allow the mustard seeds to pop for few seconds and pour over tadka.

(Recipe courtesy: indianveggiedelight.com)

Rasiya dhokla

Ingredients

For muthia dhokla

1-1/2 cups cooked rice

1/2 cup gram flour

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp salt

For kadhi

2 tbsp gram flour

1 cup curd (Dahi / Yogurt)

3-1/2 cups water

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

Salt, to taste

1 green chilli

1 inch ginger, chopped

1 bay leaf

1 inch cinnamon stick

For tadka

1 tbsp ghee

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 inch cinnamon stick

1 sprig curry leaves

Method

Into a large mixing bowl, combine all the muthia dhokla ingredients and mash the rice well until it forms a dough-like consistency. Grease your palms, shape muthias into small ovals, and keep aside.

For kadhi, combine the curd, gram flour, turmeric powder, salt, and red chilli powder in a saucepan and mix well till there are no lumps. Next, add the three cups of water and bring it to a boil. Keep whisking the kadhi as it continues to boil until it is smooth and creamy. Once done, turn the heat to low, add ginger garlic, green chillies, cinnamon stick, and simmer kadhi while you add the muthias. After five minutes, you will notice the muthias rising to the top and floating.

For the tadka: Heat ghee in a saucepan on medium heat; add the cumin seeds and allow them to crackle. Stir in the curry leaves and cinnammon.

Gradually, add the seasoning mixture to the above rasiya dhokla and serve.

(Recipe courtesy: archanaskitchen.com)